If you've been following the first shots of the next-generation console war, you're aware that Sony is widely perceived to have "won" the E3 press conference race by announcing that the Playstation 4 will allow users to trade, rent and lend games and well as no internet connection being required for offline play vs. Microsoft's complicated used game requirements and the console needing to connect to the internet once every twenty-four hours (or once per hour if playing your game on someone else's console). Microsoft has taken a beating in the press and among gamers for the policies, which were viewed as cowtowing to video game developers over gamers.
Now, that appears to be changing. Xbox has announced that they are doing away with the previously announced used game policy as well as the need to be connected to the internet for offline games. A post by Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Business president Don Mattrick revealed the change in policy, noting that "Since unveiling our plans for Xbox One, my team and I have heard directly from many of you, read your comments and listened to your feedback."
The company's changes to their polices reads as follows:
"An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games – After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again. There is no 24 hour connection requirement and you can take your Xbox One anywhere you want and play your games, just like on Xbox 360.
Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today – There will be no limitations to using and sharing games, it will work just as it does today on Xbox 360.
In addition to buying a disc from a retailer, you can also download games from Xbox Live on day of release. If you choose to download your games, you will be able to play them offline just like you do today. Xbox One games will be playable on any Xbox One console -- there will be no regional restrictions.
These changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One. The sharing of games will work as it does today, you will simply share the disc. Downloaded titles cannot be shared or resold. Also, similar to today, playing disc based games will require that the disc be in the tray."
The Xbox One launches in the fourth quarter of this year.
Read more at http://www.411mania.com/games/news/288068#tZwqwoXUd8ayGSVk.99
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